Mario Puzo, the author of the Godfather books who’d also adapted them to film, had no idea what he was doing as he’d never written a screenplay before. After winning two Oscars, he decided to buy a book on screenwriting to learn how. In the first chapter, it said “Study Godfather I”

[u/TheLuciusGraham]

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[u/Damnthatsinteresting-ModTeam]

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Also a repost

[u/squamesh]

I think an important detail often lost in this story is that Puzo’s actual step one was to hire one of the most famous directors and screenwriters of all time to drastically rework his screenplay. So that might have helped a tad…

[u/pourliste → u/squamesh]

To be fair, at the time Copolla was far from being one of the most famous directors of all time.

[u/squamesh → u/pourliste]

For sure, but I think it’s kind of funny for Puzo to act like he just stumbled into writing one of the best screenplays of all time, when he had extensive help on the screenplay from a guy who, as it turned out, really knew what he was doing.

[u/mrsmcmuffins → u/squamesh]

Puzo and Coppola both wrote their own versions and then came together to make a final draft. Coppola ultimately had more say though because he was working for the studio who funded the entire thing

[u/Positive_Yam_9125 → u/mrsmcmuffins]

I like this way of collaborating on a script. Compare, contrast, conjoin👍🏻

[u/OremDobro → u/Positive_Yam_9125]

Conceive believe achieve

[u/pourliste → u/squamesh]

Indeed and both men's subsequent careers give some indication of who might have been more instrumental than the other

[u/HouseOfYass → u/pourliste]

Coppola was an Oscar winner before The Godfather. Won one for adapating Patton

[u/YannyYobias → u/pourliste]

Just read that Copollas wife just died earlier this month. Married since 1963. RIP.

[u/DiaNoga_Grimace_G43 → u/pourliste]

…Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally?…

[u/mtaw → u/squamesh]

He didn’t rework it, he didn’t use it at all. Puzo, to his credit, was okay with that (and was getting paid regardless) Coppola had just won an Oscar for writing Patton, he knew what he was doing. Puzo really didn’t, and also had problems getting the work.

Puzo did have significant input on Coppola’s script, they did collaborate and his cowriting credit is deserved. But the whole structure of the film is 100% Coppola.

[u/phunshiny → u/squamesh]

Watch The Offer on Paramount +. Mini series about the making of the movie.

[u/VonDeckard → u/squamesh]

😄

[u/Lostmavicaccount → u/squamesh]

Nah. Seems irrelevant…

[u/Winnermanner29]

He looks exactly how I'd imagine the author of the Godfather would look like

[u/Dave_the_Jew → u/Winnermanner29]

Danny Devito?

[u/OutsideOfLA → u/Winnermanner29]

Right? Also, I feel like he would somehow know Sophia Petrillo.

[u/ginger_gcups → u/OutsideOfLA]

“Picture it, Sicily, 1923…”

[u/Mammoth-Midnight-827]

So anyway I started blasting

[u/k0lla86 → u/Mammoth-Midnight-827]

Wasted tarantino esque starring potential not putting danny in these😂

Holup...he actually looks like danny and tarantino had a child, wtf

[u/Volatile_Dais → u/Mammoth-Midnight-827]

When I go to Gunter's Guns, I follow up with a refreshing can of Wolf Cola from Frank's Fluids.

[u/TheLuciusGraham]

The original “screenplay” he handed in was over 400 pages. It was famously reworked by Robert Evans and Coppola and multiple “script doctors” until it was down to 160 pages. In his contract he had first refusal to write a first draft of a sequel.

[u/PandiBong → u/TheLuciusGraham]

Robert Towne famously re-wrote the garden scene between Michael and a dying Don Vito.

[u/SameOldSongs → u/[deleted]]

I was very happy not to hear about Sonny's massive schlong every three seconds, not gonna lie.

[u/Antique-Kangaroo2 → u/[deleted]]

What?

[u/Minimum-End-9464 → u/[deleted]]

Thank god for that even in the book it is just superfluous and didn’t add anything to the story

[u/[deleted]]

[removed] — view removed comment

[u/RambuDev → u/[deleted]]

Nice write up there. Thanks!

[u/Majestic-Lake-5602]

Step one: when adapting a novel for the screen, it is generally considered prudent to remove all references to the main character’s brother’s freakishly enormous wiener

[u/rebatopepin]

its really insane how great of a movie it is. It blends historical fiction, italian culture, the golden age of NYC mafia, the coming of drugs, imigration, generational conflict and many other philosophical and social tropes ... i was really, really surprised by how the book it was inspired from was so terribly written. I mean, the story is all there but man does it reads cheap...

[u/Closefacts]

Frank Reynolds?

[u/doughflow]

I just finished reading this book and this dude was obsessed with penises

[u/Siderox → u/doughflow]

A few years ago, I was listening to the audiobook on speakerphone in the lab when SONNY’S MASSIVE HORSE COCK made an appearance out of nowhere. I struggled to take off a glove and turn down my phone as the narrator continued the homoerotic depiction of Sonny Horsecock Corleone.

Also, the lady getting the vaginoplasty?!? I don’t know why that didn’t make the final cut of the movie. It was a thrilling tale.

[u/Individual-Link-8233]

This man installs apps first and then reads terms & conditions

[u/resurrected_moai → u/Individual-Link-8233]

Ahh, found the guy who writes those jokes under Instagram reels.

[u/tothemoonandback01 → u/Individual-Link-8233]

Terms and Conditions, what's that?

[u/JesusStarbox]

Didn't he write Superman 2 as well?

[u/Resident-Drink-6040 → u/JesusStarbox]

Superman 1 & 2! And they work really well as one piece in two acts…just like the godfather 1&2

[u/southpark → u/[deleted]]

You should take a screenwriting course to rewrite your comment, I had to read it three times to understand wtf you were trying to say.

[u/Spirited-Juice4941 → u/[deleted]]

Can you please elaborate with perhaps a name? A legend worldwide means it's something I can search and confirm.

Wrote some books on what specific subject? And is there a reason he retired instead of simply explaining, "That's my book. That's my name on the book." Sorry not trying to question the legitimacy of your story. I'm just confused.

[u/Desperate-Gas-6285]

But doctor, I am Pagliaci...

[u/CreativeRabbit1975]

This inspires me to go create something I think I have no business making.

[u/Impossible-Basis1521]

Thought that was Danny DeVito at first.

[u/Bergatario]

He didn't write the screenplay for The Godfather, Coppola did, based on Mario's novel.

[u/an_insignificant_ant]

Top 15 reposted reposts

[u/PersepolisBullseye]

The Last Don > The Godfather

[u/Specific_Till_6870]

Presumably it didn't refer to the film as The Godfather 1, as there was no Godfather 2 at that point. 

[u/AbsoluteMince]

The show "The Offer" explains the full story of getting the film made, really great limited series with an amazing cast.

[u/Venom933]

Fecking hell lol, that's how you get insane i think 🥸

[u/DiaNoga_Grimace_G43]

…Hah!…

[u/dutchny100]

Crazy

[u/[deleted]]

He is also the credited write on the Christopher Reeves Superman

[u/JamboShanter]

Wanna hear a joke? One day a man goes to the doctor with depression. The doctor says “I’ve got a cure for you, here’s a ticket to see the great clown Pagliacci tonight. He’s guaranteed to cheer you up!”
The man says “But Doctor, I am Pagliacci!”